Two young girls walked down a dirt path, continuing their journey out into the woods. One of them headed towards the forest, blonde hair and pulling a little wagon carrying the second girl. The child in the wagon had dark hair like a raven's feather, 2 years younger than her older sister but both of them still very young. Too young to partake in such an adventure into the darkness that was the woods. However, these two children decided long ago the risk didn't outweigh the reward they were searching for. The treasure that was deemed worthy to risk their lives for?

A mother's love.

Mostly though, it was just having the mother there. See, these two girls are only united halfway by their blood, given to them by their father. There was something else though that was used to fill in the gap to their sisterhood that was made by their two different mothers. The fact they both lost them. One, to the knowledge of the blonde, just… disappeared one day. She didn't know where she went, and every attempt to ask her dad for the answer led to a solemn change to his usual cheerful expression and a series of mumblings which could be added up to 'I don't know'. The younger sister's mother was called off to complete a mission and never returned. While both still believed that tomorrow will be the day she returns, every day that passes with the opposite result is another strike on their faith.

Today was a new day, with a new plan that was more proactive than mereing waiting by the door and hoping. The eldest sister told her sister that if her mother wasn't gonna find her way back home again, they will find her. The younger one, turning timid at the proposal, was hesitant to join her into the place their father warned them about more times than she could count. However, she also remembered being told they should never be alone in the woods either, and she didn't want her sister to do such a thing. So she agreed to join and the blonde child dragged her sister into the forest.

A long time has passed since the choice to leave was made, and they traveled a far way from home. The youngest one suggested that they turn around and get their father to join them. The blonde stopped walking and turned to face her.

"Come on Ruby, you know if we turn back and ask dad he'll force us to stay home." she told her sister. "Don't you want to find my mom with me?"

"Of course I do Yang" said Ruby, now standing up in her wagon. "I'm just… I'm just getting scared." she said honestly, looking down towards the dirt trail they gone down longer than she thought they would.

"There's nothing to be scared of, your big sister is here to protect you silly!" Yang assured her, voice full of pride as she points to her chest and grins. Looking at Yang and seeing her confidence in her ability to do so made Ruby feel better about herself, and she smiled softly.

"I know you are, but I want to protect you too." she said, "We can protect each other, always and forever."

Yang put her hand on her chin, stroking a non existent beard. "Hmm, alright. I'll protect you, and you'll protect me. Sounds good?"

Ruby nodded her head. The sisters smiled at each other, both happy about their agreement when they hear something out into the trees. Both girls tense up in response, the younger one looking all around her as the eldest looks towards the sound. Looking out from the darkness, a pair of red eyes stares at the duo.

"What was that, do you see anything?" Ruby spoke, panic present in her noise. Yang doesn't reply to her, staring back at the eyes scanning them. Frozen in fear, she doesn't make any noises or movements in hopes that the monster goes away. However, when the dark haired child spots the same pair of eyes, the response wasn't silence but a loud scream.

Everything that happened next was too fast to process. She saw the eyes charged towards them, revealing a giant, wolf like monster with bones on the outside of its body. Then it raised its arm and swung. Yang felt pain and weightlessness and when she realized the creature swung at them, she was already yards out from where they were. More importantly, she was yards out from Ruby. She watched the Grimm flailed its claws at something for a few seconds before someone sliced it in half.

By the time she recognized it was her uncle Qrow, he slaughtered both the initial monster and all the other members of its pack that was deeper into the forest. Yang stood back up, though her body ached from being tossed from the hit. She watched Qrow run towards where the first Grimm was before falling down on his knees and covered his face. As she continued making her way over towards him, she called out to him to which the girl noticed that her uncle was crying.

"Please, don't come any closer!" he shouted at her, causing Yang to stop in her tracks.

Yang then looked around the area and saw that the wagon was broken, a wheel missing as well as the metal itself being clawed up. Suddenly, she realized something.

"Where's Ruby?" she called out to her uncle, taking another step which caused Qrow to shout again.

"Not a step closer Yang!" he ordered, his voice beginning to crack as he spoke again "You don't want to see this."

Yang doesn't listen to him as he ran over to him. "What happened to Ruby?! Where is sh-" she yelled at him before she came too close and spotted her little sister. Or, what was left of her. Gasping, she then cried out her name as she ran closer before Qrow catching her. The man picked up the child and held her head into his chest tightly, to which the girl started to weep into as he tried to soothe her to no success.

"Taiyang, it's your turn to speak." Professor Port tells him softly, patting the man's shoulder which snaps him out of his trance. Tai looks back up at his friend, eyes bloodshot from previous tears shed as he pats the hand on his shoulder and nods. Port nods back and then walks back up to his seat.

As he walks up to the front, he takes in the scene that no parent should ever have to see. He looks around to see his friends and former classmates sitting in a line of chairs, each of them handling the heavy atmosphere in varying ways. Some are crying their eyes out while others are attempting to bury their emotions deep inside them, most of them however have found a middle ground that fits them.

Outside the sobbings, his remaining daughter being the loudest one of the group, it was mostly silent as he makes it to the front and stands next to a picture of Ruby smiling, the image being surrounded by a wreath covered in red roses. His heart break into more smaller pieces, a constant pattern he has been living through the past few days. After the pain being too much, he looks away from the wreath and looks back the casket, closed due to the… nature of the death.

As he clears his throat to speak, most of the people who were crying stopped to hear what he had to say. Only exception being Yang, who hasn't really stopped crying since the incident outside of when she falls asleep. The loudest coming from the morning when she wakes up and runs into Ruby's room, which makes her realize that what happened in the woods was something worse than a nightmare. After taking in a deep breath, Taiyang begins to speak.

"Before I can… begin to put what I'm feeling into words, I want to first say I'm grateful for everyone who showed up. This is one of the most difficult moments of my life and lowering this casket is going to be the most painful. So, with that in mind, I thank every single one of you for showing up so I don't have to do this alone. While I feel cursed after losing my daughter… seeing all of you here reminds me that I am blessed.

Now, for the hard part of this… For the past few days, I have thinking about this moment. The eulogy I would give to my own daughter. At first, I was debating whether to write something up or just speak from my heart, but after attempting to do the former, I had to come to terms that that task was impossible. Mainly because I haven't come fully to terms that this is even happening myself. How could I, or anyone?

Even now, looking at all of you now, I still can't believe this. It wasn't long ago where I was helping her get dressed or teaching her how to speak and walk… things I'll never hear or see her do again. I don't know if I will ever come to terms with this, or that that's even a possibility. Maybe I can't come to terms, and that what I feel now is just a part of who I am. This will just be my life now…"

Tai pauses to regain composure, as he turns to stare at the wreath. He looks at the picture one more time, He looks at her dark hair, pale skin, and silver eyes. All things she shared with Summer. As he turns to look at the casket, he thinks about another thing they share. Their absence from his life. Not looking to face the crowd of fellow grievers, he speaks up one last time.

"You know, for the first couple of nights, I couldn't dream of anything. My mind was just, too messed up from what happened I guess. I would just, go to bed and closes my eyes and when I opened them again it was a new day. Last night, I dreamt for the first time since I heard the news. I was out here, in this yard where we all are. And then… my little girl came back. She hugged my leg and told me how much she missed me and Yang and uncle Qrow, and about how she would never run off like that again. I kneel down to hug herself myself, telling her how much I missed her and how I would never leave her site… That's when I woke up to prepare for this funeral...

Last night I saw her again for the first time in my dreams, and now I'm just waiting to go asleep."

And with that final statement, Tai turns away from the the funeral and heads back into his house. After slamming the door Qrow takes a drink from his flask and moves towards the casket, preparing his turn to say his last words before he has to bury his niece.

Taiyang soon came back out to say his last goodbyes to Ruby and to help lower her to the grave, not saying anything to everyone else outside of thanking people to showing up and assuring them he will be fine. After everyone else heading back to their homes, what's left of the Rose-Xiao Long family go back into their cottage with Qrow joining them. Yang's crying have subsided to just soft weeping as Tai leans against his countertop, looking at the ground and saying nothing as Qrow sits down at the table and pulls out his flask.

Looking up, he glares at his former teammate "Are you really drinking at a time like this?" he questions, which Qrow shrugs off.

"This is as an appropriate time to start drinking as any." he replies, taking another swig. Taiyang sighs, for that's a good point. If there's any time to pick up the habit, this is a reasonable one.

Qrow then lower the flask and places it on the table, sighing as well. "Look… If you want me to just… leave you be, I'll understand completely." he tells Tai, who moves off the counter he was leaning on and moves to sit with Qrow.

"What do you mean Qrow?"

"What if… what if this happened because of my semblance? What if the reason I wasn't there in time was because of th-" he starts off saying before he is stopped by Tai's hand landing on his shoulder, gripping it tight.

"Don't you dare, for even a second, blame yourself you Ruby's death. If it wasn't for you, I would've buried both of my children today. I won't hate you for Ruby's death, I thank you for Yang's life." Taiyang says, his tone stern but tender. Qrow stares into his ears, scanning him thoroughly before choosing what words to say. He doesn't get the chance to, because the recent silence that fell on the room disappears as soon as it showed up as they hear little feet walking towards the kitchen. They both look over to see Yang, her cheeks stained red from crying.

"Daddy, there's a knocking at the door… I think I heard-" Yang explains to her father while he gets up from his chair and heads towards the door, a pat on her head from him stopping Yang from continuing what she was telling her father.

"Don't worry sweetheart, I'll get it. Likely someone who missed the service." he assures her as he heads towards the door.

Making it to the door, he hears the sound of someone sobbing. "Looks like I was right.." he mumbles under his breath before he starts to open the door. "Sorry, but you just missed the service. You can still come…" he starts to say, attempting to offer an invitation into his home to whoever it was until he looks straight ahead to see nobody is there. He scans to the left and right to see if they could find whoever knocked on the door. The place he didn't search for the source of the noise however, was down at his feet.

Suddenly, he feels something cold surround his leg. He looks down to see what caused such a sudden chill to only have that chill start going down his spine as the color from his face vanishes from his horrified expression.

"Oh my god…" he mutters under his breath, his pupils dilated as his eyes widen at the unbelievable sight in front of him. Ruby hugging his leg tightly, crying.

"I'm s-sorry daddy, m-me and Yang w-went out into the woods e-even though you told us not to… W-we just wanted to find mom and then I f-forget what happened and then I was alone in the woods with Yang gone and I was so s-s-scared…" the impossible kid weeps to her dad, holding on to him even tighter as she continued talking. And he could feel Ruby's grip tighten around him.

"Who was it da-" Yang walks over to him, then gasps at what she sees. Before heading any closer, Yang runs into the kitchen and shouts out "Qrow, Qrow! Come over here quick! Ruby's back!" Tai could hear her daughter shout as he continues to stare in shocked silence at his other daughter in front of him.

Taiyang falls to his knees in front of Ruby, to which she steps back as he falls before moving to hug her father around his neck. After a couple more seconds of being shook into motionlessness, he wraps his arms above her and places his head on the back of her head. He could feel her body press against his as he squeezes her, he could feel every strand of hair as when he ran his hand through when he palmed his hand to the back of her head. He could feel his body freeze from how cold Ruby's body was as his heart ached from how fast it was beating. This wasn't a hallucination nor a dream, whatever the man was going through was happening in real life.

"Now isn't the time to be saying things like this, kidd...oh my god…" Qrow starts out chastising for making up such a tale before looking over at Tai holding Ruby in his arms. For the next few minutes, the only sounds that could be heard from inside of home was Qrow falling his flask and Ruby and Tai both crying in front of an opened door.